Presbyopia is an eye condition in which one’s ability to focus on near objects gradually declines. It effects everyone eventually, usually beginning sometime after age 40. Common daily activities such as reading fine print and working on a computer might become difficult and cause a headache. This is because presbyopia-affected eyes are strained when attempting to focus on near objects, and the persistent eyestrain can lead to headaches. This article describes the symptoms, causes, and common treatments of presbyopia.
Symptoms
People who suffer from presbyopia often notice that their eyes feel tired after reading or working on the computer. They might also notice that newspapers, books and restaurant menus appear hazy, and the print seems to be unusually small. Many presbyopia patients also notice that their vision seems to improve if they hold the book or newspaper farther away from their eyes. Other signs of presbyopia are mild but persistent headaches and blurry eyesight.
Causes
Presbyopia is caused by the hardening of the eye’s lenses. This is a natural process that occurs gradually as the eyes age. Most people notice the first signs of presbyopia after their 40th birthday, but some presbyopia patients might require presbyopia correction much sooner. Other individuals, however, might not notice any decrease in their near vision until well into their 50s. Once presbyopia begins, it can not be reversed. However, presbyopia can be successfully managed to help the patient see clearly at all distances.
Treatments
Modern medical science has developed an array of sophisticated presbyopia treatments. Which treatment is best for you depends on your overall visual acuity, the severity of your presbyopia, and your personal treatment preferences. Most often, mild presbyopia is treated with eyeglasses.
Patients whose eyes are otherwise fine can purchase presbyopia-correcting glasses at the drugstore. Those who have other vision errors along with presbyopia may opt for glasses with bifocal or progressive addition lenses, which contain zones for focusing at different distances. Another treatment for mild presbyopia is multifocal contact lenses.
Another treatment option is refractive lens exchange with intraocular lens implants (IOLs). In this procedure, the eyes’ natural lenses are removed and replaced with IOLs, such as ReSTOR, ReZoom or Crystalens. These lenses are also often used during cataract surgery in Singapore to treat both presbyopia and cataracts.
Other popular presbyopia treatments are conductive keratoplasty (CK) and monovision LASIK. During CK, the eye surgeon uses radiofrequency waves to reshape the eye’s cornea and help it better perceive near objects. Monovision LASIK, on the other hand, uses laser energy to correct one eye for near vision and the other eye for far vision. Over time, the brain gets used to this distinction, and the patient enjoys clear vision at all distances.
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